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Compare towns

Thomson vs Blakely

202 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (4.9× in Thomson) and property tax bill (+22% in Thomson).

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Thomson, GAAn outdoors townGeorgia · 6,821 people
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Blakely, GAHomes around $131KGeorgia · 5,238 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

ThomsonAn outdoors town
Outdoors#65 most walkable in GA0.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves Housing$199K typical home40% below the GA typical home Health92% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Thomson →
BlakelyHomes around $131K
Housing$131K typical home60% below the GA typical home Health94% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates HistorySettled in 18253 places on the National Register All about Blakely →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Street grid4.9×
Thomson has the more walkable street grid
Thomson 70.8Blakely 14.5
Property tax bill+22%
Tax bills are bigger in Thomson
Thomson $1,565Blakely $1,280
Growth since 2010+5.5 pts
Blakely has grown faster since 2010
Blakely +6%Thomson +0.5%
Work in town+8.2 pts
More of Blakely’s workers stay in town
Blakely 24.1%Thomson 15.9%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $430 more a month in Thomson

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Thomson$1,210/mo
Typical home $199K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.97% · or rent about $848/mo · Housing →
Blakely$780/mo
Typical home $131K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.84% · or rent about $765/mo · Housing →

The difference: $430 a month, about $5,100 a year, between Thomson and Blakely.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Thomson places higher on 9 of 19 GA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Georgia ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
DThomsonBetter than 14% of districts in the state C−BlakelyBetter than 20% of districts in the state
Health
DThomsonHealthier than 8% of U.S. towns DBlakelyHealthier than 6% of U.S. towns
9Thomson
8Blakely

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 265 towns #65#257 Most conserved landOutdoors · 257 towns #117#230 Most remote workersWork · 257 towns #115#205 Highest graduation rateSchools · 256 towns #214#154 Lowest property taxCost of living · 264 towns #91#47 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 265 towns #224#180 Fastest growingGrowth · 254 towns #185#145 Highest incomeIncome · 265 towns #225#187

Left end = #1 in Georgia. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Thomson’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
ThomsonBlakely
Snow a year1″0″
January low34°F38°F
July high90°F93°F
Growing season (days)237d264d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)15th65th
Outdoors & history
ThomsonBlakely
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land2.4%0.4%
Settled18371825
National Register places73
Archive photos1216
Famous people born here116
Community
ThomsonBlakely
Library hours a week42 hrs42 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

202 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ThomsonGABlakelyGA
Thomson ↔ Blakely202 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

ThomsonBlakely
People
Population 6,821Highest 5,238Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.5%Lowest GA: +10.6% +6%Highest GA: +10.6%
Median age 38.1±3.6Lowest about the GA average 39.8±2.8Highest 6% above GA
Blakely and Thomson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.2%±6.2Lowest GA: 23.2% 26.1%±4.6Highest GA: 23.2%
Blakely and Thomson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.9%±3.6Lowest GA: 15% 16%±3.6Highest GA: 15%
Blakely and Thomson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.3%Highest GA: 34.9% 12%Lowest GA: 34.9%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.1%±2.5Highest GA: 6.4% 4.8%±2.5Lowest GA: 6.4%
Thomson and Blakely are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $42,180±$10kLowest 45% below GA $49,821±$15kHighest 36% below GA
Blakely and Thomson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $161,100±$31kHighest 47% below GA $152,500±$41kLowest 50% below GA
Thomson and Blakely are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $848±$95Highest 39% below GA $765±$86Lowest 45% below GA
Thomson and Blakely are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,565Highest 33% below GA $1,280Lowest 45% below GA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 68.3%±17.1Highest GA: 52.4% 49%±13.8Lowest GA: 52.4%
Thomson and Blakely are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 28.8%Highest GA: 13.4% 26.8%Lowest GA: 13.4%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 48.5%Highest GA: 65.7% 48.4%Lowest GA: 65.7%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Lowest 13 yrs older than GA 1983Highest 9 yrs older than GA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 41% below GA 18 minHighest 37% below GA
Work from home 10.2%±8.1Highest GA: 15.9% 4.7%±2.9Lowest GA: 15.9%
Thomson and Blakely are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 15.9%Lowest 24.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 miLowest 30.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.14Highest 0.90Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Augusta (15%)Dothan (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BlakelyFew work in Thomson
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.4%Highest 0.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 70.8Highest 14.5Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #209 of 231 in GA#205 of 231 in GA
School district McDuffie CountyEarly County
High school in town Thomson High SchoolEarly County High School
Students per teacherat that high school 16.0Highest 13.4Lowest
Georgia average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Thomson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Thomson’s Town Square.

Blakely neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Blakely’s Town Square.

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Georgia towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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